The Pantry by Marble: 24-hour convenience store that fits the brief

The Marble Group has done it again by offering this food and wine sensory experience, The Pantry, in the heart of Hyde Park, Johannesburg mastering what convenience should be to its core. 

In South Africa, 24-hour grocery stores are non-existent, culturally we don’t have such access to this because of many factors, however, The Pantry’s much-anticipated convenience store couldn’t have come at a better time. 

Recently visiting The Pantry located on Jan Smuts Avenue – on the street level of the Trumpet on Keyes building which houses Marble restaurant is the brainchild of the group, which includes Chef David Higgs, Gary Kyriacou, project manager Irene Kyriacou and operations director Dino Constantinou.

The dynamic team are responsible for the popular Saint and Marble restaurants in Johannesburg. 

First impressions

On first impressions, the exterior is quite eye-catching, as it utilises the ever modern trend of organic shades of green brush walls, eco gardens, as the interior of cut wooden trellis cover the ceiling and Wolkberg cement tiles adorn the façade of the kitchen.

GRID and Reddeco were responsible for the fantastic interior and exterior to bring the 1000m² Pantry space to life.

The Pantry is a hybrid model of a supermarket, deli, take-away and retail store.

Navigating the store is quite easy, as the food section has ready-made fresh goods, bakery items to frozen goods. 

It has been described as a store where you can find your affordable items to the more artisanal and fancier items which would cost you more.

However, you have the option to splurge or not. 

WATCH: A splurge but affordable at The Pantry by Marble

The head of the food department Tyler Clayton told us their ready-made options make people’s lives easier.

As their salad bowls, sandwiches, pregos to pizzas are “fancy but easy.”

“The beauty about the food is simplistic food, we not working with ingredients that people don’t know or understand.”

Having years of experience in restaurants including working with Higgs at Marble, Clayton says the food preparation is completely different for The Pantry.

He explains restaurant kitchens are opened at certain times, it gives them a routine however at the convenience store there are no bookings. “It’s very challenging but there is where the fun is.”

The Pantry is offering authentic hot cross buns this Easter, as they are fresh and made with no preservatives just like their bread.

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When we were at The Pantry we couldn’t help but notice the long queue and pandemia for their doughnut of the day and the sheer excitement of the customers waiting to indulge.

Megan Meikle, the pastry chef is responsible for this, as The Pantry’s doughnuts have gained quite a following.

She explains their doughnut is a standard dough with different flavours every week, such as rocky road, brownies and caramel and recently a black forest doughnut. 

After the sugar rush, do have a look at the homeware and gifting section curated by the creative director Irene.

The section has specifically made decor and homeware items such as candles, table linens and vases great for any home. 

There are also fresh flowers, a great selection of wine curated by award-winning sommelier Wikus Human and everyday essentials along with a bespoke retail selection.

The Pantry by Marble truly fits what they want to achieve, “fancy” but so accessible.